Electrically-driven slicing machine



April 21, 1931. H.THOM AS I ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN SLICING MACHINE Filed June 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 21, 1931. i H. THOMAS ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN SLICING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1926 Patented Apr. 21, 1 931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

HENRY THOMAS, or EAST HAM, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR To U. s. SLIOING MA- CHINE COMPANY, or roars, INDIANA, n OGRPORATION or INDIANA A mncrnrcartY-nnrvnn SLICING MACHINE V Application-filed June 17, 1926. Serial N0.'116,534.

This invention relates to machines for slicing meat and other commodities and has for its object the provision of control mechanism for the electrical drive for machines of this nature in which the motor will automatically be started prior to the placing of the load on the motor.

A further object is to provide a machine of the class named which shall be of improved construction and operation. The invention isexemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specifications, and is more particular- 1y pointed out in the appended claims.

In the'drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a slicing machine with parts broken away, showing one embodiment of the present invention; v Figure 2 is a horizontal section'substantially on line 2 2 in Figure 1; v V

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2; p

Figure 4 is an elevation of a detail.

The form of slicing machine illustrated in y the present application is similar'to that shown and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,525,965 grantedJune 7, 1924. This machine as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing,

3 includes a reciprocating table 10 mounted to slide on a base 11 and arranged to move past the cutting. plane. cfa rotary slicing knife 12. The knife 12 is mounted on a flange 24 carried by the sprocket wheel 21. A sleeve 25 is secured to the sprocket wheel 21 and is provided with a circumferential groove 26 which engages lugs 27 on a bifurcated clutch lever 28. The lever 28 is pivotclutch 23.

the shaft 22 and cooperates with a clutch ally mounted ona stud 29 carried by the frame of the machine. A rod 30 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in the base 11 and isprovided with a yoke 31 adjustably mounted'on the rod and engaging the lever 28. j A spring '32 normallyurges the rod 30 outwardly away from the frame ofthe machine so as to press the sprocket 21 into drivingengagementwith the clutch 23.

Slicing machines of thekind referred to'go are provided with'a shaft 33 for gear con-.j nection with-the shaft 22. The shaft 33- is commonly provided with a hand wheel, by. means of which the slicing machine maybe hand operated. Ina power driven machine this hand wheel may be omitted if desired, but is commonly provided. j

The rod 30 is provided with a brake 34 which bears upon a brake drum 35 carried by the shaft 33 in the, manner described in my prior patentre'ferred to above. Whenthe lever 28 is moved inwardly to disconnect the reciprocating table from the motor, the brake 34 will be caused to bear upon the drum 35 and arrest the reciprocation of the table. When the lever 28 is released the spring 32 will move the: lever outto connect themoton with the reciprocating table through the" The lever 28 is operated by a cam 36 piv so otally mounted on a stud 37 supported by a bracket 39 projecting from the base 11. A hand lever 38 is secured to theca'm 36 and projects at the opposite side of the pivot stud from the cam- Ahandl'e 40 is slidably mounted on the lever 38 and is urged inwardly by a spring 41. The hand lever operates between segment plates 42 provided with notches 43, 44and 45, for receiving stud pins 46 which project laterally from the 'handle 40. The spring. 41 normally presses the: stud pins 46 inwardly so that they spring into notches in; i the segment" plate 42 when brought into reg"- I istration therewith.- Connected'with the cam 36 and lever 38 is a switch arm 47 having a pin 48 thereon engaging a projection 49 ona lever 50. The lever'50' is pivotally' mounted on-a stud .51 projecting from base-'11. A con trol switch 52 for the motor 16 is mounted on a bracket 53 and provided with a switch le- '10! segment plate 42.

ver 54 which engages a notch 55 in the lever 50.

When the stud pin 46 is in the lowermost notch 43 of the segment plate 42, the switch lever 54 will be in its lowermost position, shown in broken lines in Figure 1, and the current for the motor will be turned off. As the stud pin 46 is raised to the notch 44, the pin 48 will engage a cam face 5! on the lever 50, and will swing the switch lever 54 to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, thus turning on the electrical current and starting the motor 16. During this movement of the lever 38, the clutch lever 28 will remain stationary, due to the fact that the cam 36 is provided with a straight portion 58 which engages the adjustable contact screw 59 on the lever 28. This will permit the motor to start while the reciprocating table is disconnected. The inertia of the knife 12 is slight so that it is unnecessary to disconnect the knife during the starting of the motor, but if the entire load were connected atthe time that the motor is started, there would be danger of injuring the motor or other part of the electrical drive.

Further upward movement of the handle 40 will permit the contact member 59 to travel on the cam face 36 and release the clutch lever 28 so that the shaft 22 will be connected to the sprocket 21 by the clutch 23, thus starting the reciprocation of the table 10. The handle 40 and segments 42 are, however, provided with means for causing a dwell in the upward movement of the handle in order to give the motor time to come up to speed before the clutch is connected. This means includes a stop lug 60 secured to the sliding handle 40 and arranged to engage a shoulder 61 on the This will arrest the upward movement of the handle 40 slightly before the stud pin 46 comes into registration with the notch 44, as illustrated in Figure 4.

In order to permit further upward movement of the handle 40 it is necessary for the operator to release the outward pull on the handle 40 and permit the stud pin 46 to move into the notch 44. As the pin moves into the notch the handle 40 will move slightly up 'wardly to bring the pin into exact registration with the notch. This will shift the lug 60 from full to broken line position, shown in Figure 4, so that the lug will register with the shoulder 61 instead of with the notch below the shoulder.

When tension is again exerted on the tor to pick up so that when the clutch is connected the motor will have attained full speed.

I claim:

1. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocatory table, a motor, driving mechanism connecting said motor with said knife and table, a switch for said motor, a clutch in said driving mechanism, a common handle for operating said switch and clutch, a member having a cam thereon movable by said handle, a lever connected with said clutch and bearing said cam, and means operated by said handle for moving said switch, said cam surface being shaped to retain said clutch in disconnected position until subsequent to the operation of said switch.

2. The combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocatory table, a motor, driving mechanism connecting said motor with said knife and table, a switch for said motor, a clutch in said driving mechanism, a common handle for operating said switch and clutch, a member having a cam thereon movable by said handle, a lever connected with said clutch and bearing against said cam, means operated by said handle for moving said switch, said cam surface being shaped to retain said clutch in disconnected position until subsequent to the o aeration of said switch, and means causing a dwell in the operation of said handle subsequent to the closing of said switch and prior to the operation of said clutch.

3. In combination with a slicing machine having a slicing knife and a reciprocatory table, a motor driven shaft and a manually driven shaft for reciprocating said table, a clutch on said motor driven shaft, a motor and a switch therefor, driving mechanism connecting said motor and knife, driving mechanism connecting said clutch with said first-named driving mechanism, a brake for said manually driven shaft, a common operating member for said switch, clutch and brake, means movable by said member for first closing said switch and then moving said clutch into active position with simultaneous release of said brake from said manually driven shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 2nd day of June, A. D. 1926.

HENRY THOMAS. 

